I remember my mother mixing rice and boiled potatoes in the broth of the boiled beef. She said that it is one good food for the baby to teach it in eating solids. But the first feeding is only several teaspoon of the mixture, I really couldn't remember exactly. With the age of the baby, I also couldn't say but maybe 3 months to my estimate.
Where I'm from mothers don't buy that processed baby food your find in a supermarket. After the sixth month mark, they mostly mash pumpkins, potatoes or papayas. That is what most babies start with.
This is a good way to do it, blending or finding ways to make the food smoother is a good way to transition towards solid foods. Very young babies don't have the stomach or the muscle coordination to eat normally yet, so taking steps like this is a good transition. We have an article specifically on this that you can view here for more information: Weaning Your Baby Off Of Breastmilk Or Formula – 10 Essential Tips
I really enjoyed reading your article especially on the part about making feeding time fun, to get the baby comfortable. I recently found out that my 7-month-old niece loves to stand when she is being fed. She actually eats very well when she supports herself on the coffee table.
I know there are lots of baby foods out there that will train your baby to eat solid food like Cerelac and Gerber. It's a nice way to start feeding your baby to eat solid foods.
What about those new parents who cannot afford to by baby food? Is there a recommended process of getting your baby started on homemade solids? I'm trying to find out what other parents from different parts of the world are using to introduce their babies to solids, apart from ready made baby food you find in stores.